could
Had the ability
Could serves to tone down the demanding aspect of can. Could works in polite requests that are more tentative than can: Could you turn that down a little?
Could is also typical in conditional sentences where a past tense is used in the if clause: If you canceled your meeting we could go out to dinner.
When followed by a perfect infinitive (have + a past participle), could indicates a possibility that no longer exists: I could have been a contender.
Verb of possibility
- allowedGranted permission to proceed
- permittedGranted leave to proceed
- authorizedGiven official permission
- ableHaving requisite skill
entitled · sanctioned · cleared · approved · granted · empowered · licensed
Great physical strength
Expression of uncertainty
- perhapsExpressing uncertainty
- potentiallyWith latent possibility
- possiblyWith some likelihood
- mightGreat physical strength
conceivably · feasibly · chance · likelihood · probability · prospect · opportunity · contingency
Conditional mood marker
may
Verb of possibility
- allowedGranted permission to proceed
- permittedGranted leave to proceed
- authorizedGiven official permission
able · entitled · sanctioned · cleared · approved · granted · empowered · licensed
might
Great physical strength
maybe
Expression of uncertainty
- perhapsExpressing uncertainty
- potentiallyWith latent possibility
- possiblyWith some likelihood
might · conceivably · feasibly · chance · likelihood · probability · prospect · opportunity · contingency · eventuality
would
Conditional mood marker
can
Cylindrical metal container
succeed · accomplish · achieve · competent · skilled · proficient · equipped · qualified · prepared
once
At one time
- formerlyIn the past
- rememberedBrought back to mind
- recalledBrought back mentally
- Basic English Wordswho, what, when, where, why
- possibilitiespossibility, chance, likelihood, probability, odds
- Possibilitymaybe, perhaps, possibly, might, may
- silent lettersknife, knock, know, knee, knot
- Stop Wordsa, an, the, of, to
- tricky spellingsaccommodate, acknowledge, acquaintance, acquire, bureau
- could havePast possibility expression
- couldn't care lessComplete absence of concern
- couldn't helpLacked power to avoid
- could not care lessTotal absence of interest
- could be worseGrudging mild acceptance
- could've swornFelt completely certain
uncouth, couldn't, could've, coulda, could care less, couldst